Tinubu to health fellows: Serve with honour, humility and courage
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday charged young participants of the Federal Government’s National Health Fellowship Programme to serve the country with honour, humility and courage, assuring them of efforts to secure their career progression within the public health system.
Tinubu gave the charge in Abuja at the first National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health, where he described the fellows as the “driving force” behind efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery nationwide.
The National Health Fellows, drawn from each of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, are part of the second cohort of the programme championed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to boost grassroots health services.
Addressing the fellows, the President said his administration would work with development partners and relevant institutions to support their career paths. He added that state governments had been encouraged to host graduation ceremonies for participants as they complete their fellowship.
Tinubu urged the young health professionals to collaborate closely with traditional and religious leaders to improve service delivery and advance universal health coverage across communities.
“You are the operational backbone of this national health alliance,” he said, encouraging them to strengthen weak systems, improve data-driven decision-making and provide renewed hope in underserved areas.
The President also called on traditional and religious leaders to back government health reforms, describing hope as central to national renewal. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity, expressing confidence that Nigeria would overcome its challenges.
Earlier, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Mohammed Ali Pate, presented the 2025 State of Health Report to the President, saying it formed the basis for discussions at the summit. He commended federal and state governments for pursuing the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and promoting inclusive dialogue through the Health Sector Compact.
